Ladder-prop.



No. 776,446. PATQBNTED Nov. 29, 1904. H. WILLIAMSON.

LADDER PROP.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 3l, 1903.

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attenua# lINiTen STATES Patented November 29, 1904.

PATENT Orrick.

HENRY WILLIAMSON, OF TORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO ARTHUR BRAZIE AND ARNOLD THOMEN; OF TORRINGTON, `CON- NECTIC UT.

LADDER-PROP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 776,446, dated November 29, 1904.

Application filed October 3l, 1903. Serial N0- 1'79,399. (No model.)

To (all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY WILLIAMSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Torrington, in the county of Litchfield and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ladder-Props, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a ladder-prop having features of construction to facilitate the erection of a ladder against a building' or other support without liability of the same falling over and injuring' the operator or artisan and which will be reliably held when erected against slipping movement or other displacement.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a ladder, showing the improved prop applied to the foot thereof. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the improved prop.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the views.

The numeral l designates a ladder of usual construction having' side rails 2. The prop consists of a metallic or other body 8, preferably of elongated rectangular form, having depending sockets I at opposite ends. The inner end 5 of each socket is closed and the opposite end 6 open, and extending centrally into the sockets from the outer terminals thereof are clamping or set screws 7. In the center of the body 3 is an opening 8, in which the stem or shank 9 of a screw or holdingauger l() is rotatably mounted, the upper terminal of the stem or shank 9 having radiallyextending turn-bars Il, which unitedlyform a handle. The screw 10 tapers toward its lower pointed end, and the stem or shank 9 is long' enough to permit said screw to be loosened or withdrawn from the ground surface a sufcient length to clear the upper enlarged portion' of the screw from the ground and permit the lower reduced part of said screw to be readily withdrawn.

The lower ends of the rails 2 are inserted in the sockets 4 and the clamping-screws 7 adjusted to prevent accidental separation of the prop from the foot of the ladder, the closedends 5 of the sockets being tapered outwardly. In erecting the ladder adjacent to a building or other support it is lifted high enough to permit the point of the screw lO to enter the ground, and the ladder is gradually turned toward the building' or support, and the weight imposed upon the prop causes the screw to become disposed in the ground and serve as an anchor or holding means to prevent the lower extremity of the ladder from slipping outwardly. of the sockets contact with the ground the screw l() may he turned to more firmly fasten the same in the ground. In taking down the ladder or removing it from one point to another it can be readily drawn outwardly against the screw lO, which still remains in the ground, without liability of becoming unbalanced and falling over on the user or artisan, and under such circumstances the screw willservc as a resistance sufficient to hold the foot of the ladder from slipping'.

The improved device is comparatively inexpensive in the cost of manufacture, and such materials will be used in constructing the same as are best adapted for the purpose.

Changes in the proportions, dimensions, and minor details may be also resorted to without in the least departing' from the spirit.

open at the top and at their rear ends, the

front ends of the sockets being closed, and a penetrating' anchor device vertically disposed in and movable through the center of the said body.

3. A prop for a'ladder comprising a rigid After the bottoms body portion having end sockets open at their top portions and rear ends and Closed at their front ends, and clamping devices extending into said sockets, substantially as specified.

4C. A ladder-prop having a body with soel- Y ets at opposite terminals thereof depending below the under side of the body, the said sockets being open at their top portions and rear ends and having their front ends closed,

l whereby the lower ends of ladder-rails may be IO 

